Rafa Nadal will receive the Grand Cross of the Order of Sports Merit

The thunder of victory Rafa Nadal at Roland Garros, where he won his thirteenth Roland Garros on Sunday with an exhibition against Novak Djokovic, he arrived at La Moncloa. The Council of Ministers today agreed to grant the Balearic Islands the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sports Merit. A distinction that, strangely, he did not yet have. It is the highest institutional decoration in the sports field and It carries the treatment of His Excellency. Thus, he is already His Excellency Rafael Nadal Parera.

The 34-year-old tennis player, who drew 20 Grand Slams with Roger Federer, arrived in Manacor on Monday afternoon accompanied by his family and his coach, Carlos Moyá, with the desire to “Recover normal life.” “Being home, playing golf, going to the Academy, see people I haven't been able to see in all this time… ”, he explained after winning the title.

The spokeswoman for the Executive and Minister of Finance, Maria Jesus Montero, praised Nadal's achievements. “There is little to mention about the curriculum of this athlete, this one out of the ordinary on the slopes. Also outside. At 34, he has 20 Grand Slam, has been a gold medal in the Olympic Games both individually and in doubles, a five-time Davis Cup champion, a thirteen-time Roland Garros winner and We are honored to pass on this distinction not only for its sporting milestones, but also for bringing together the values ​​we want for the youngest “Said the minister about Nadal, who was already the Prince of Asturias Award in 2008.

The Grand Cross is owned by world soccer champions such as Vicente del Bosque, Iker Casillas, Xavi Hernández or Andrés Iniesta. Pioneers like Pedro Ferrándiz, Manolo Santana, Ángel Nieto and Seve Ballesteros, ball myths like Gento and Kubala, Carlos Sainz, the Tour champions Miguel Indurain and Perico Delgado, Barcelona 1992 icon Fermín Cacho, Olympic legends such as David Cal, Gervasio Deferr, Joan Llaneras and Paco and Blanca Fernández Ochoa or Paralympians like Teresa Perales. The Olympus of Spanish athletes in which His Excellency Mr. Nadal is also present.